Farraday Masquerade
by overworkedandunderpaid
Summary: Strigoi have been taking human victims from one of the most exclusive nightclubs in the country. A poorly planned hunt on Valentines Day will end well for these two Guardian partners - very well... Will be rated M for mature scenes in chapter 2. Two-shot. One of the two fics I will be uploading inspired by the beautiful work in the Valentines Day Compilation. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**I missed the Valentines day thing! Ugh. I need to check my messages more often.**

 **I was inspired by the talented writers that contributed anyhow, and I decided I would write two fics that are in the same vein! Apologies to anyone waiting on my other fics, I will eventually update.**

 **Anyway, please enjoy;**

* * *

The Farraday was the kind of club you didn't get into without an express invitation. It was the kind of place you knew you could never belong, because you couldn't afford the dress code. It oozed upper-class beauty, decadence, and legal ambiguity - the kind of place that would have been shut down, if there was anybody left in the city that hadn't been paid off.

Its entrance was inconspicuous, hidden away in the shadow of an alley way that no morally upstanding citizen would be caught dead in. Two men stood at the door – big, threatening, and dressed all in black, but still only human. Despite its overwhelming appeal to the Moroi world, this club was owned, operated, and predominantly visited by humans.

It was the last place on earth Dimitri had expected to find himself the night of February the fourteenth – surrounded by drugged up humans, insinuating himself into a bachelor party just to get through the door. Yet here he was, lounging in the VIP section and accepting shots he had no intention of drinking, at least after the first two. He was watching the raised platform at the end of the room. It was the main entrance, and at any moment he knew Rose Hathaway would be walking through it.

He knew she wouldn't be relying on anyone else to get her into one of the most exclusive clubs in the country. She wouldn't need and invitation, because anybody that saw her coming would know a woman that beautiful could only be good for business.

Dimitri spared a glance around the club, his astute gaze sweeping over the multi-leveled floor and the huge chandeliers that hung from the gilded ceiling, draped in fine white chiffon that fluttered in a false breeze. A live band, sweaty and half dressed, performed a loud, high energy song on stage for the crowd against a backdrop of heavy velvet curtains. He took in the people – dressed in designer suits and gowns, their faces obscured by elaborate masks as they partook in illicit activities. He scanned again for possible exits, noting the emergency exit that was across the dance floor.

If he was being honest, he was a little nervous. This was one of the more reckless plans he'd ever agreed to participate in. It had been hastily thrown together only a few hours ago, and so far he'd been counting his lucky stars that it had all gone off without a hitch.

He tried to reassure himself that nothing was going to go wrong – after all, getting into the club in the first place was the hardest part of this scheme. Once Rose was in, it was all smooth sailing. And he had no doubt that Rose would find a way in. His eyes drifted back to the platform, standing ten feet above the sweaty, crushing throng of humans.

And there she was. Even from a distance, and with her face half covered, he knew it was her. He watched her take in the scene, frowning as the lights of the stage flashed obnoxiously over the heads of the crowd. Dimitri held a breath as he took in her appearance. Partner or not, he was still a man, and his heart stuttered as his gaze slipped over her body. She was dressed in Lissa's most revealing designer gown, made only the more scandalous because it was two sizes too small. The already immodest neckline was bordering on obscene on her full figure, and the short hemline made the red dress all the more risqué.

He smiled, watching her duck her head and make her way down to the dance floor. She didn't look like she was going to enjoy herself tonight, and the nature of the masquerade would make their hunt more difficult than usual. He wouldn't be surprised if they were here for hours – he wouldn't even be surprised if they left without a kill.

Rose battled her way through the crowd to the bar and ordered a drink, having no trouble getting the attention of a bartender despite the throng of people vying for his services. Still smiling, Dimitri turned his attention momentarily to the human that was offering him a drink and politely accepted.

Discreetly, he tipped his drink over his shoulder, and laughed at a lewd joke the best man had been hiccoughing over for the last two minutes. He'd been watching them drink and swallow small pink pills all night, and he was sure they weren't reading into his noncommittal mutterings and forced amusement. Adjusting his plain black half mask, he allowed himself one last lingering glance at Rose, leaning against the bar, before refocusing his attention on the crowd.

He had a good vantage point from the VIP area, even relaxing as he was on the plush white lounge. He knew Rose was in a better position to study the party-goers – a Strigoi was more likely to be picking up a wasted human at the bar than one dancing with friends in the crowd. He ushered away a hired girl that was seductively offering him a dance, shooting her an apologetic smile. She shrugged, but her disgruntled huff led him to believe he'd offended her. He shrugged it off, knowing that any of his masked associates would be more than happy to take his place.

Silently, he cursed the dress code for the hundredth time as he scanned the crowd. He'd known this morning when Rose concocted this plan that it wasn't going to be easy, but he couldn't say no to her. They'd been partners for a year and a half now, and her crazy ideas had begun to appeal to him more and more. He told himself it had nothing to do with their romantic history – they'd buried that the day Rose had taken up her position as Lissa's guardian. He had to keep telling himself these wild nights off that they took together were only filled with the kind of tension that left some bodies in their wake, and nothing else.

Every time they went on one of these hunts, he found himself in the same position; watching Rose, denying that the excitement welling up in his chest had anything to do with her.

His eyes wondered aimlessly over the crowd, not really seeing the scene unfolding before him. It was more of the same. He was lost in his own thoughts, anticipating the night ahead, and hoping against hope that Rose would spot a Strigoi in the faceless mass of the rich and elite.

Not because he was looking forward to a kill – although again, that's what he told himself it was about – but because he knew that when Rose spotted a target that she would come find him. And when she came to find him, there would be a brief, blissful moment that would bring his temperature up, fire off every centre of pleasure in his brain and make his heart drum in his chest.

Unable to stop himself, he glanced once more at the bar. It had only been a few minutes, but Rose was gone. He unfolded himself from the lounge and stood, scanning the crowd for a flash of red, or her long dark hair. He knew she wouldn't have gone off alone, but he found himself getting anxious all the same.

A tap on his shoulder turned him on his heel, and he was met with the sight of Rose's familiar brazen grin and sparkling brown eyes underneath her red mask. "You're much more conspicuous when you stand up," she yelled over the music. His heart leapt, and he gave it a stern reminder that this was business.

"How did you get in here?" he shouted back, indicating with one hand the VIP badge he wore on his suit lapel. Rose rolled her eyes and cupped her breasts, and whether it was something about the club, or maybe the two shots he'd taken, he couldn't tear his eyes away from her grasping fingers pressed against skin and red silk.

Rose didn't seem to notice, and she grabbed his hand, pulling him back down onto the lounge. One of the men gave him an appreciative nod and a thumbs up as Rose seated herself so that her body pressed against his, and her lips were at his ear.

"One is over at the bar right now with the blonde girl in silver. Follow me."

Dimitri heard her words despite the roar of music, and the thunder of his heart in his ears. The sober part of his brain processed the next few steps of their plan, but he couldn't stop his imagination from running ahead, anticipating their next move – the cover story.

Barely a breath filled the pause before her lips were on his, the taste of her overriding all his common sense, like it always did. He responded too eagerly, pulling her closer until she was almost on top of him, her breasts pressed against his chest, her tongue tangling with his in a rare moment of reckless abandon.

It was over too soon, like always.

After all, it was all for show. There was nothing real between them, just the need for an excuse to wander out into an abandoned alley without arousing suspicion.

Rose lingered for only a moment, her cheeks flushed and her eyes vibrant. Dimitri had to remind himself that she was probably thinking about the hunt, and not about him. He had to remind himself yet again that he should be thinking about it as well. Not her eyes, or how soft her hair was, or how out of control things might have gotten if she'd kissed him like that when they were alone.

She pulled away, stood and walked back down the stairs onto the dance floor. Over the music, he heard the faint whooping of the men he sat with. He smiled cockily, and gave them a mock salute as he stood and followed Rose out of the VIP section. His disdain for their behavior couldn't overcome the high of her kiss.

On his way down the stairs, he spotted the couple that Rose had described. Fortuitous that she'd found them so quickly, especially with the masquerade being what it was. They were halfway across the club, already headed for an exit. Rose shot him a frantic look.

It would take them at least a minute to catch up, and a minute might be more than they could afford.

Sobered, they forced their way through the crowd hand in hand so they didn't get separated in the swarm of enthusiastic party goers. Dimitri gritted his teeth as they passed a speaker, vibrating violently on its pedestal.

It seemed to take forever to cross the floor, but eventually they were pushing through an emergency exit, spilling light and sound into the concrete and brick back alley.

Rose faked a laugh as the door creaked open and they stepped into the night, her hand slipping from Dimitri's to his belt, where she gripped one of the two stakes he'd brought with him.

The Strigoi and his prey were further down the alley against the wall, and seemed far too distracted to notice that they had company.

"You get her out," Dimitri muttered, "I'll take care of –" his sentence was cut short as a burst of brilliant light cut across his vision, pain springing in his jaw as he staggered out of the doorway. He vaguely heard Rose shout something – he assumed it was a curse – before his reeling senses began to settle.

He fumbled for his stake, cursing himself for not preparing for this.

His attacker was preoccupied with Rose, her stake glinting in the moonlight, her expression cold and determined. Dimitri couldn't allow himself his usual moment of admiration, because the second Strigoi had noticed their scuffle and had abandoned his victim. Dimitri had forgotten how fast they could move. It always seemed to be that way –you never really got used to the speed or strength, no matter how many you fought.

The Strigoi had the upper hand. By the time Dimitri had his stake out and ready, he was being forced to the ground by a full body tackle. With no time to regret his complacency, he struggled against the Strigoi's attempts to pin him. Just his luck, this one had been a dhampir before he was turned. He could feel the strength in his arms wavering as the Strigoi forced it's bodyweight over him, teeth bared and red eyes gleaming as Dimitri finally forced his stake into position and let the Strigoi fall over him.

* * *

Rose watched the Strigoi roll off Dimitri, and hurried to stretch out her hand and help him up. Two stakes, Dimitri's from the front, and Rose's from the back, protruded from his twitching body. It had taken Rose longer than she'd hoped to dislodge the stake from her opponent to come help Dimitri.

Breathing heavily, she scrutinized her partner. There was a bruise forming on his jaw, and his dress shirt was torn, but otherwise he appeared unscathed. Satisfied that he would live, she grinned and picked his mask up off the pavement.

"Damn, that must have been embarrassing for you," she jibed. Dimitri huffed and brushed off his pants.

"I've had finer moments," he admitted. He jerked his stake from the Strigoi's chest. "Where's the human?"

"She ran away."

Dimitri frowned as he struggled to dislodge Rose's stake as well. "Did she see anything?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "I was a little busy, Comrade. Besides, she's a drunk rich girl, and in a few hours these bodies will be gone. Who's going to believe her?"

Dimitri pointed a stake at her chest and raised his eyebrows. "You've got to work on that attitude," he reprimanded playfully. "You're going to get us both in a lot of trouble."

"If you didn't want to get in trouble, you shouldn't be with me," she reminded him, handing him his mask.

"Court sanctioned partner, nothing I can do about it," he lamented. "I'm stuck with you until one of us dies."

Rose laughed, and regardless of the bodies at their feet, the mood lightened. "Call an Alchemist and tell them they've got a job to do. I'm going inside to try and get the blood out of Lissa's dress."

Dimitri fished his phone out of his pocket as Rose pulled the heavy fire door open and stepped into the loud, bright, luxurious club. It was one hell of a way to spend Valentines Day, but she knew she preferred it over the options back at Court. She would have been lying to herself if she said she'd wanted to spend it with anyone other than Dimitri, and seeing as she wasn't allowed him, this was the next best thing.

The bathrooms of the club were brightly lit and pleasantly scented with lavender. A range of perfumes rested on top of a brightly lit shelf that ran underneath the broad mirror, and two plush pink settees sat in the corner next to some potted aloe vera.

"Nice," she muttered, impressed and a little bitter. She imagined this was the kind of life Lissa could live, if she was so inclined.

Turning to the mirror, she scrutinized the blood on her dress. There was more than she had realized, and she bit her lip, considering her options. She would have to stand in this bathroom in her underwear while she tried to get it out with soap and a hand drier, or she could just pretend someone had spilled a drink on her.

Sighing, not particularly in the mood to put in effort, she opened her clutch and spent a few minutes fixing her makeup and brushing through her hair instead. By the time she finished, you could barely tell she'd just killed a man.

Dimitri was waiting patiently outside, his formal jacket buttoned to disguise the tear in his shirt and his mask back on. Rose stopped in the doorway, taking a moment to admire the way he looked when he put in effort. Despite the mask, there was no mistaking his attractive features and incredible body.

He noticed her watching, but didn't acknowledge her except for the small indulgent smile that brightened his face.

Normally, they would leave now. Slip away back to court and pretend that none of this had happened, that they hadn't gone on a two hour road trip just to hunt down some Strigoi. But it seemed like such a pity to waste the opportunities The Farraday presented – anonymity and moral apathy. Maybe the vibe of this place was getting to Dimitri as well. She'd thought his kiss had been a touch more determined tonight, determined in a way that had left her breathless and quivering under his touch. With the memory of their kiss tingling on her lips, she approached him, trying to find the words to ask him to stay.

He watched her approach, and smiled when he saw the blood still stained her dress. Perhaps she should have tried to remove it. It served as a sobering reminder of their purpose here, and their positions back at Court. A rush of something cold and stern had her shaking the remnants of her bold thoughts from her mind and instead Rose made a sensible decision – something of a rarity, for her. "Let's go home."

They made their way from the bathrooms, back out into the club. As soon as Dimitri stepped back out onto the dance floor, the anxiety of their rashly planned hunt lifted, he felt himself being swept up in the atmosphere of the club. He blinked a few times against the dazzling lights, and tried to tune out the unrelenting beat of music that shivered through the room, but to no avail.

Sure, it could have been the two shots, or the adrenalin of a successful hunt, but there was something about this place that made everything seem possible, even reasonable.

Rose pulled him through the crowd, and he tightened his hand around hers, taking in the scenery. A masked girl beside him swallowed one of those bright pink pills, and as his eyes drifted up to the VIP lounges he could see the bachelor party getting wildly out of hand. He smiled, a euphoric recklessness filling him.

Rose tugged at Dimitri's hand when she realized he'd stopped, not wanting to lose him, but also aching for a way out of the throbbing, sweaty mob of people moving around them. She turned, ready to give him an exasperated look and an extra hard tug to keep him moving.

Her complaint caught in her throat when she saw his expression, eyes bright and a smile more dazzling that the lights flashing over the crowd. He pulled gently at her hand, and she stepped back towards him, the crowd of people becoming faceless and inconsequential. The music stopped being loud and obnoxious. Its rhythm was dark and heavy, echoing the beating of her heart and charging every nerve with excitement and treacherous desires. It was the kind of song that brought out the irresponsible sinner in a girl, and that side of Rose didn't need a lot of encouragement, especially when Dimitri was involved. His smile was one she hadn't seen in a while, reminiscent of stolen moments. It urged her closer, brought up old memories and lit a fire that burned away her good sense and moral compass.

Her blood rushed with adrenalin, and she utterly understood why the people in this club were so caught up in its fever. She could feel the giddy smile on her face, and the beat thrumming through the floor, vibrating through her bones and enticingly offering her a way to express some of those pent up frustrations.

Part of the thrill was the total anonymity of the party – the masks, the crowd, the way they could easily lose themselves to the fever without a second thought. It was intoxicating. Before she knew what was happening, Rose found her hands on Dimitri's chest, her body moving shyly with the beat pumping through the club.

There was nobody here that they knew. Two hours away from home, surrounded by strangers. The perfect scenario for a sin they could forget about tomorrow.

The same thoughts were occurring to Dimitri, the same temptations guiding his hands to Rose's silk covered hips and overriding his better sense. He wasn't sure that she still had feelings for him or if she looked forward to their faux kisses the way that he did, but right now he was willing to take some chances.

Emboldened by Dimitri's hands on her hips, Rose swayed a little more dangerously to the beat pounding through the speakers. He responded with another burning smile, and his caresses wandered daringly to the curve of her ass. Whatever space had been left between them disappeared as Rose pulled herself close, gripping the lapels of his suit as she ground herself against him. The press of bodies around them had the temperature soaring almost unbearably, yet Dimitri's hands still trailed fire over her skin.

It felt anonymous and personal, despite the crowd. No one was watching them. His hands were on her bare skin, pulling up the hem of her dress, tracing the lace pattern of her underwear. Her lips were on his neck. Excited breaths whispered over their hot skin as the bass thundered through the floor. Her hips ground against his with a rhythm that set his head spinning.

The music was exhilarating and Dimitri's hands masterfully arousing as they roamed her curves. A hunger that left her lightheaded and weak-kneed was stealing through her body. She could feel a buzz of adrenalin and lust, a need for more heating between her legs and tingling in her chest.

She was glad the music was so loud – she was sure she wouldn't be able to speak through the thickness of her desire, the way it twisted her stomach in knots. With one hand at the base of his neck, fingers wrapped up in his locks, she pulled her lips from his collarbone and met his gaze.

His eyes were dark with passion, and that wicked smirk still graced his beautiful face. It seemed crazy now that either of them had ever wondered if there was anything more than platonic friendship left on the others behalf. Whatever questions lingered between them were answered here; they both wanted this.

They both wanted _more_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the late update! Many thanks to Swimming The Same Deep Waters for being my beta for this chapter.**

 **Enjoy;**

* * *

"So what did you two get up to yesterday?"

Dimitri, sitting on the two person sofa beside Lissa, tightened his hold on his water bottle in a sign of panic that would have gone unnoticed by anybody but Rose.

They were in Lissa's suite, relaxing and waiting for the inevitable shit storm to begin. Rose twitched nervously from her place in the armchair as she considered her possible answers to such a loaded question.

Lissa's casual query held none of the implications that her two Guardians were picking up on. Her curiosity was more of a polite conversation starter than an accusatory interrogation, but even reading that through their bond Rose felt a twinge of fear.

She knew that Lissa was desperate to reminisce about her own incredibly romantic Valentines day, but she was also caught in the throes of pity for her Guardians. As far as Lissa knew, Rose and Dimitri had spent an unromantic and sexless twenty four hours completely alone.

For the first time since this morning, Rose risked a glance at her partner. A bolt of arousal shot through her as she noticed all the small and unique details about his physique that she could no longer ignore – his dark, expressive eyes, the shadow of stubble on his jaw, the muscles in his forearms flexing as he clenched his fists…

Averting her gaze, she studied the seams on her armchair. "Nothing," she mumbled, picking at the loose threads. "What did you do?"

Instead of gushing over her amazing date, Lissa paused skeptically. Rose's interest in her Valentines Day was suspicious enough – after all, she'd experienced it all through the bond as it had been happening. It just wasn't like her best friend to pass up the opportunity for an eye roll, or a sarcastic snipe at Christian. Nor was it like Rose to fidget with furniture and avoid eye contact.

Sensing the Moroi's suspicion, Rose slumped back in her seat and forced a more characteristic smirk. "Was it everything you could have hoped for?" she said breathily, fluttering her eyelashes.

Still doubtful, but with her suspicions somewhat eased, Lissa smiled indulgently. "It was perfect."

Lissa spared no detail as she regaled her friend with the tale of "the most romantic Valentines Day ever". Christian had spent weeks planning the perfect getaway with the two of them, complete with a small, secluded B&B overnight stay a few hours from Court. Lissa gushed about how nice it was to be away from everything – no school, no Court politics, no Tatiana hanging over her and pressuring her to make "a more appropriate match".

She did spare a few details as she got closer to the end of their day, giggling even as Rose rolled her eyes, trying to block the mental images of Lissa and Pyro going at it like rabbits. Inwardly, she was surprised that she hadn't noticed their amorous activities the night before. Dimitri had been more distracting than she'd realized…

Dimitri wasn't usually in the habit of fidgetiing, but today was an exception. Listening to Lissa's story had him thinking about this morning, waking up with Rose and the crushing weight of responsibility and professionalism.

He was still trying to fathom how they'd both made those decisions sober. How had he allowed himself to cross that line?

He frowned, knowing how. He remembered exactly what he'd been thinking – something smug about dealing with the consequences later.

Frustrated, he was rubbing at a scratch in his plastic bottle intently, his brow furrowed and his eyes unfocused. He didn't notice when Lissa reached the end of her story and asked him a question about his family. It took a swift kick from Rose in the chair beside him to refocus his attention on the present.

"Hmm?"

Lissa gave him a quizzical look. "I asked if you'd spoken to your family yesterday. You had the whole day to yourself, what did you do with it?"

Squeezing the bottle yet again, he smiled casually. "I didn't call them. It was a pretty boring day."

Rose was slammed with Lissa's misgivings yet again, this time twice as strong as before. She shot a fervent look at Dimitri, hoping he would actually make eye contact with her and realize that Lissa was getting suspicious.

With raised eyebrows, Lissa looked between the two as they shifted guiltily in their seats. She fixed Rose with a stern look and directed a thought at her through the bond. _What are you two hiding?_

Rose's eyes widened innocently, and she gave a half hearted shrug. Lissa frowned. She hadn't missed the strange distance between her usually companionable guardians, or the way they were neatly avoiding the discussion of yesterday with her. Dimitri was usually less inclined to talk about his time off – Rose had once told her it was because all he did was "dorky stuff" like reading, and therefore had nothing to tell. But if Rose didn't spend her day off with Lissa, she usually had a story or two she would be eager to recount.

A strange silence fell between the three of them, Lissa's eyes darting back and forth. She didn't need to read auras to know they were feeling guilty about something.

Suddenly, something occurred to her – something she had begged Rose never to even think about after she'd found out about it the first time. It explained their odd behavior, and was an obvious recreational activity for her dangerously impulsive best friend. She met Rose's steady gaze.

"Please tell me you didn't go looking for Strigoi again," Lissa implored quietly.

Feeling Lissa's disappointment as it poured through the bond, the anxiety surrounding her wild night with Dimitri shifted its focus. She had promised Lissa that she would never go out of her way to find Strigoi again. She clearly remembered when Lissa had found out about their habit after walking in on Dimitri with a distinct bite mark on his arm, and Rose with a roll of tape between her teeth and a bandage in her hands. She had been beside herself with worry, especially when Dimitri had refused to let her heal him.

Rose felt a flush of shame rising to colour her cheeks.

"I'm sorry. We were careful," she promised, knowing that her lame excuse wasn't nearly good enough. It wasn't even true. She shot another glance at Dimitri, eyeing the soft shadow of a bruise under his jaw.

Lissa gave Dimitri an accusing look. "You promised."

Dimitri hung his head, unable to face her disappointment. He didn't bother offering an excuse. Some part of him was relieved that Lissa had been thrown off the trail of other misdeeds that had occurred last night.

Rose felt like she would burst if she didn't explain herself. "The tip we got was too good, Liss – a Strigoi had been hunting humans in the same club for a few weeks. People were dying and we couldn't just let it happen. What could a human do against two Strigoi? We –"

"Two Strigoi? You fought two? Are you both alright?" Lissa was on her feet, concern lighting up her eyes in a way that made both Rose and Dimitri feel even more ashamed of themselves.

"We're fine," Dimitri assured her. He rubbed his chin absentmindedly. "Like Rose said, we were careful…"

Lissa's hands tingled with the desire to check for injuries, despite their promises. More than being disappointed, she was worried. The last thing she wanted was for one of her friends to get hurt doing something stupid. Although she admired their intentions, nothing would convince her that their decision to hunt Strigoi was the right one to make.

She just couldn't lose them.

"We're sorry, Liss," Rose said sincerely, anticipating her best friend's next words, "but we can't promise it won't happen again. We can promise to be careful, and that we'll look after each other, but you can't ask us not to do this."

"I can," she answered shakily. She didn't want to get into a fight with Rose and ordinarily she would have backed down, but this was a risk she wasn't going to let them take. "You're my Guardians. And unless your hunting trips are sanctioned by Hans, you're not even supposed to leave court."

Rose pursed her lips, and even Dimitri looked up in surprise. It was unlike Lissa to threaten people, even lightly.

"There are lives at stake," Rose argued, her hands curling into fists as she unfolded herself from the armchair.

"Yes – yours," Lissa answered.

A knock on the door stopped the snippy retort on Rose's lips. A Guardian in the standard black and whites entered the room without so much as a pause. Rose noted the red trimmed lapel with a huff, and crossed her arms tightly over her chest.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Princess Vasilissa, but the Queen has requested and urgent audience." His tone indicated no such regret for his inconvenient appearance.

Lissa's expression cooled, her eyes glancing back at Rose distractedly. They both knew what this was going to be about – Christian's little Valentines Day stunt had been orchestrated without the Queen's knowledge, a fact that he had taken great delight in. Lissa had known the consequences would be coming today, and she didn't want to go alone.

"Tell her we'll be there in a minute," Rose growled.

The Guardian fixed her with a cynical look. "I will escort the Princess. Your presence will not be required." The look he offered Dimitri was far more apologetic, and Rose bristled. She was in a bad enough mood to punch a Queen's Guard.

"Of course. I'll be with you in just a moment." Lissa's smile was perfectly pleasant, but there was no ignoring her dismissive tone of voice. The Guardian hesitated for only a moment before slipping back through the door to wait outside.

Lissa turned back to Rose and Dimitri, the brief interruption giving her the moment she needed to collect her thoughts more dispassionately.

There was vulnerability in her expression as she made her closing statement on the matter. "I know why you want to help… I just don't want you to get hurt. I won't tell anyone, but please think about it. Think about me. What would I do without you? Either of you?"

Rose kept her mouth shut as Lissa left the room, but she could feel her frustration boiling just beneath the surface.

"She has a point," Dimitri admitted as the door clicked shut.

"Do _not_ tell me you're on her side," Rose grumbled.

"I don't think we're wrong," he assured her, "just that Lissa might be right as well. You're the closest thing she has to family. And we actually could have gotten hurt last night."

"But we didn't," Rose argued, unfolding her arms so she could prop her hands on her hips. She didn't want to fight with Dimitri – she didn't want to anything with Dimitri right now, at least not until she figured out how to deal with _all_ of the events from last night.

Dimitri sighed and didn't offer a counter argument. He knew that Rose understood what he'd meant to say and she was being difficult on purpose. He also knew that if he gave her some time, she would begrudgingly see reason.

After a few moments of tense silence, she threw her hands in the air. "Fine. She's got a point. But I still don't think we should stop."

"Neither do I," he agreed.

Their eyes met, and the easy connection they'd shared for years flooded with understanding. For a brief moment, Rose forgot that last night their professional and personal relationships had become complex and unsteady. It was simply her and Dimitri, comfortable, reliable and easy.

But she held his gaze for a moment too long, because before she knew it, her light, carefree affection for him had warped into something else – something more intense and fierce that filled her from head to toe with almost unbearable heat.

She glanced away uneasily, recognizing a flash of something similar in Dimitri's eyes.

Whatever this was, it was better off ignored.

Dimitri recognized her withdrawal as step one in the emotional rollercoaster of Rose's attempt to avoid difficult situations. He'd been on this ride a few times, and it was out of genuine concern that he stood and tried to reach out to her. Regardless of how difficult things might feel right now, he knew that they would be alright. He was closer to Rose than anyone in the world – he had to believe they would be okay.

His hand closed gently around her wrist as she tried to move past him, mumbling something about checking on Lissa. This rediscovered tension was new to them both, so he was surprised at the immediate and intense reaction mere skin to skin contact brought on.

Rose drew in a sharp breath, his fingers around her wrist shooting sparks up her arm. She met his gaze with the full intention of reprimanding him, but instead she found herself caught up in the surprise and arousal playing openly across his face.

There was a moment as they looked at each other for answers, the silence only broken when Rose worked up the courage to ask the question.

"Was last night a mistake?"

* * *

 _She hadn't had anything to drink, but she was intoxicated by his touch. His wandering hands and promising smiles had carried her on a wave of arousal from the club all the way back to court. The tension that filled the car trip back had been maintained by burning glances and the steady stream of dirty promises they had whispered into the electric air._

 _There had been a brief roadside stop, just as Dimitri had begun to sober up enough to ask himself if this was a good idea – then Rose was straddling him and her lips on his and her fingers deftly undoing his dress shirt were enough to squash his doubts. He'd spent the rest of the drive with the taste of her on his tongue, and his foot to the floor._

 _They'd walked briskly from the parking garage at Court back to Guardian lodgings, and Dimitri had let her lead the way so he could admire the way red silk clung to her curves in the light of the dawn. He'd already decided to commit everything that happened tonight to memory and regret his poor life choices in the morning._

 _Rose hadn't even stopped to consider her actions. Her mind was busy with half-formed memories of the lust charm, the gaps filled in by her wild imagination. It was only when they reached her room and her hand was closing around the cool, hard metal of the doorknob that any kind of reality set in._

 _Nervously, she began to wonder if it would be cowardly to call this off, to turn around and ask him to leave. It wasn't because she suddenly realized the professional implications of spending the night with her Guardian partner – that was far from her mind. She was anxious because she was only just realizing that she had no idea how to proceed from here._

 _She'd never invited someone back to her place before, and the furthest she'd ever gone with anyone had been with that half-forgotten lust charm that had driven her every thought. Sure, she'd had a few willing partners, but her time was limited and her focus had always been on work._

 _She turned on her heel, her cheeks stained red with embarrassment as she weighed the dismissal on her tongue. Would he be upset with her?_

 _One look at Dimitri set her fears to rest. He gave her a puzzled look, one that was subtle but oh-so-familiar. She reminded herself that she knew Dimitri – she knew him well. There was no one on earth she trusted more and she knew she could tell him the truth._

" _I don't know what I'm doing," she admitted._

 _Dimitri smiled roguishly and took her hand in his, stepping close so that she was trapped between his chest and the unopened door. "Don't worry," he murmured, "I'll teach you."_

 _The sultry promise had her heart doing gymnastics, and the butterflies in her stomach going wild. The brave, sexy side of Rose Hathaway took charge – long enough to get the door open and drag Dimitri through it, at least._

 _With the sound of the door only just clicking shut behind them, Rose was already pulling him in for a fierce kiss, her arms around his neck as she strained to reach his lips. He obliged, an amused smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he met her enthusiasm with tempered patience. He indulged in her hurried kisses, brimming with nervous energy and excitement, but he didn't follow the impulses telling him to take off her dress, or lead her to the bed. Given her hesitation at the door, he thought it would be best to allow Rose some control – even if he was desperate for it himself._

 _He allowed his hands to roam her body as they had in the club, light caresses that made it clear he would stop or explore further at her desire. She melted against him, encouraging his wandering hands with whispered affirmations and deepening kisses, her brash excitement changing into something more intense and heated._

 _Dimitri's hands travelled more boldly, drawing her body against his and trailing down the curve of her spine. His fingers played lightly at the hem of her dress, and he hummed a quizzical sound against her lips, seeking her permission._

 _Rose drew back, breathless and nodding her approval. Dimitri made quick work of the offending dress, the rough urgency of his hands betraying the eagerness he barely held in check. She would have laughed if she'd been in this situation with anyone else – it would have seemed boyish and endearing – but there was nothing childish or amusing about the fire in Dimitri's eyes. His fervor only stoked the lust building inside her._

 _Dimitri took a moment to appreciate her body, tone and tanned from her training in the sun. She hadn't been able to wear anything under the insanely tight dress, and his gaze travelled her body gratefully._

 _Rose found she wasn't uncomfortable under his admiring gaze, and she mischievously tugged at the front of his shirt._

" _Fair's fair," she muttered, plucking at the buttons. There really wasn't much left to undo – the tear from their scuffle in the alley plus their impromptu make out session in the car had left very little disguised by the white fabric of his dress shirt._

 _He dropped his jacket and dress shirt off his shoulders quickly and made a move to grab her waist and bring her back closer to him. Rose avoided his hands, moving back towards the bed and shaking her head playfully._

" _And the rest," she said, lifting her arms to fully display her tight, toned body. "Even trade."_

 _Dimitri gave an indulgent shake of his head, but obliged, undoing his belt and dropping it to the floor. Rose sat herself on the edge of the bed, excitement coursing through her. She was focused on his hands, but she could feel his eyes trained on her face._

" _Is this more of what you wanted?" he asked silkily, unbuttoning his pants._

 _Her stomach clenched with anticipation, and she squeezed her eyes shut. "Tell me when."_

 _Dimitri laughed and she heard the distinct, arousing sound of fabric slipping to the ground. Her eyes flew open without waiting for his cue._

 _Rose hadn't had much experience with naked men, but she'd never expected to find them sexy. There was just something innately unattractive about a penis that had always ruined the whole picture for her. But Dimitri standing naked before her, smug smile plastered on his face and true affection in his eyes had her heart pounding._

 _She'd seen him shirtless plenty of times in their two years together, and it had always been enough to bring on a rush of tingling heat that she attributed to her being a living, breathing woman. She was sure there wasn't a woman alive that wouldn't melt at the sight of him._

 _She'd thought it couldn't get any better than that, but boy she had been wrong. Her eyes trailed down his torso, greedily drinking in his well muscled physique, following the V shaped lines that defined his waist and tapered down to soft dark curls. Her eyes widened as she took in the size of him – she had no frame of reference, but she was pretty sure he was larger than most._

 _Butterflies sprang to life in her stomach, and she wasn't sure if it was nerves or excitement. She lay back on the bed and extended a hand, inviting him to join her. She barely trusted herself to talk._

 _He came to lie next to her, propping himself up on elbow and pressing his naked body against her side. He trailed his fingers over her stomach, and she was sure he'd be able to feel the butterflies that fluttered there. Dimitri looked at her knowingly and gave a sweet reassuring kiss._

" _We can stop whenever you want to – just let me know."_

" _Just kiss me," Rose whispered in return, pulling his face back to hers. He happily obliged._

 _As he kissed her, he let his hands wander without pattern or intent and occasionally they cupped her breasts, or just as tantalizingly brushed over her hips and down the side of her thighs. When she began to relax into his caresses, his hands became less aimless, his kisses less chaste. His fingers rolled over her hardened nipples, or brushed the top of the curls at the apex of her thighs. His kisses burned urgently and he shifted his body so that he hovered more directly over her._

 _Rose allowed her own hands to wander, whispered moans escaping her wantonly, her eyes fluttering closed as her mind jumped ahead, imagining what else he might do to her tonight. The possibilities excited her even further, and she found her hand trailing down below his waist and seeking out the hardness she'd felt pressed against her thigh earlier._

 _The gasp that she elicited from him when she tightened her fingers around his cock was delicious. It sent her into a feverish spin more enticing than his hands or his kisses. If there were more of those sounds in him, she wanted to hear them._

 _She stroked his length experimentally, drawing another strangled breath. He lifted his face from hers, a hedonistic half-smile giving his handsome features a devilish quality – it was a_ great _look for him. Rose smiled innocently beneath him as she moved her hand up and down his cock, watching his expression darken with lust. She found that applying just the right amount of pressure as she passed over the head of his erection drew uncontrollable sounds of pleasure from his lips._

 _His hands had been magical, but his sharp gasps and breathy moans were unendurably arousing. Rose found herself squirming underneath him, her toes clenching in the sheets as she moved her legs, shifted the angle of her hips – anything to satisfying the tight arousal deep in her belly._

 _Dimitri felt her writhing beneath him, and although he was in no rush to have this night over with and deal with the consequences, his body had its own ideas._

 _Their kisses became desperate, and his soft caresses became rough and animalistic. He groped at her curves thoughtlessly, consumed by his desire to bring her closer and explore every inch of her beautiful body. Even if he could have reasoned himself into a less frenzied state, he didn't want to._

 _Rose responded eagerly to every touch, pleasure burning through her body and culminating in a throbbing heat between her legs. His hand strayed from squeezing her thigh to stroking at the wetness of her folds. She quivered and mewled at his touch, simultaneously a welcome relief and a frustrating tease._

 _She bucked against his hand, inviting him to be rougher with her. Dimitri groaned and buried his face into her neck, sucking and biting his way down to her collarbone._

 _His fingers moved jerkily against her clit, drawing gasps and moans that burned his thoughts into pure carnal passion. He would have been more artful in bringing her to climax if he'd had enough sense to string together a sentence. The first orgasm he gave her was messy and rough as she came violently against his hand._

 _He couldn't wait any longer, even as she panted underneath him and came down from her climax. He nudged one knee between her legs, kissing her fiercely as she opened her legs and made room for him. He would have asked her if she was sure – a question he'd been asking himself over and over – but she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him close, her seductive smile enough of an answer for his inarticulate mind._

 _He pushed into her slowly, the both of them gasping at the pleasure rocking between their bodies. Rose bucked her hips, straining for more of his cock to be inside her. He placed a hand on her hip and pinned her to the bed with a grimace, setting the slow pace with gritted teeth. She was eager, but he knew she was a virgin, and he aimed to make this as painless as possible._

 _With a series of shallow, gentle thrusts, the two of them settled into a slow rhythm, Rose stretching to accommodate his size until he was almost completely inside of her. She had noticed some resistance and a twinge of discomfort at the start, but otherwise she could only feel the building pressure of ecstasy as he thrust into her._

 _Dimitri knew that the need for patience had passed, and he released the pressure on Rose's hip._

" _Show me something," she whispered, rolling her hips against his._

" _My pleasure."_

 _He set a more satisfying pace, filling her completely with his throbbing cock. After the excruciatingly slow beginning, his tempo and enthusiasm had her head spinning and desperate groans filling the hot air around them._

 _Dimitri knew this wasn't going to last long – his attraction to Rose had been repressed for so long, it had completely overcome him the second he'd acknowledged it. He was aware of one thing; he wanted Rose more than anything in the world. He wanted her here, in bed with him, for the rest of his life. He wanted to fuck her until he was satisfied – and somehow he knew he'd never be satisfied._

 _The squeaking of the bed rivaled them for volume as Dimitri pounded into her, tearing moans from their lips and trembling breaths from their lungs. Rose's brain swirled in a senseless fog of pleasure in which even the most basic functions seemed to elude her. She held her breath against the rising tide of tension that built from her clit upwards, lashing her body with ecstasy, unable and unwilling to focus on anything but how incredible Dimitri's cock felt slamming into her pussy._

" _Oh fuck," she moaned, tangling her fingers in his hair._

 _Dimitri responded, muttering Russian curses against the exposed skin of her neck before biting down, drawing more expletives from his lover. He knew she was close, but he was losing his edge. She felt so fucking amazing around his cock, tight and hot, and he didn't want to stop the rapture about to overwhelm him._

" _Cum. Now," he ordered. His voice was rough and urgent, matching the tempo of his thrusting hips._

 _Rose gasped, closing her eyes against the euphoric high that his words had enhanced. The storm of heat, arousal and bliss that had been gathering inside her broke abruptly – searing fire crashed through her violently, robbing her of her breath and scorching every nerve._

 _If he hadn't been so lost to his passion, Dimitri would have stilled to allow Rose to ride her high. He would have reveled more in the moment that she orgasmed with his stiff cock buried inside her, would have focused on the feeling of her walls clenching around him. Lost as he was in the haze of lust and heat, he continued to drive into her wildly. He'd abandoned any sense of rhythm beyond that which would get him what he wanted – and he was_ so _close._

 _He seized fistfuls of the sheets as he came, pumping his cum into her, giving one last push to drive every last drop of his seed deeper inside of her. She clutched at him possessively as she felt his dick pulse rhythmically, keeping him close and whispering his name as he shuddered from his orgasm._

 _Outside the passionate throes of sex, their ragged breathing and flushed, sweaty bodies created an intolerable heat. Dimitri rolled to one side to give them both some room to breathe._

" _Wow," Rose muttered at the ceiling._

 _Dimitri laughed quietly, one hand reaching out for hers. He laced their fingers together, hoping that so long as they stayed touching one another, they could deny the inevitable reality that was going to hit hard tomorrow morning._

" _Did you learn anything?" he asked jokingly._

 _Rose grinned and turned to face him. "It's a lesson I'll never forget."_

 _She was uncomfortably aware of the wetness between her legs, and she could feel something dripping down the back of her thighs. She sighed, too tired to bother doing anything about it now. She supposed staining these sheets was an inevitable side effect of an incredible night._

" _Are you alright?" Dimitri asked, noticing her wistful expression._

" _Yeah, you just got that stuff everywhere," she replied teasingly._

 _With a cheeky smile, he raised his eyebrows. "I think I had it pretty well contained, actually. But if you want to see 'everywhere' I'd be happy to teach you a few more things."_

 _Delighted, Rose propped herself up on an elbow. "Really?" Her imagination was already running away with her, conjuring images of Dimitri covering her with cum. "I'd love to continue."_

 _He laughed again and she smiled, trying to remember a time when he'd been quite so relaxed. "So would I," he agreed, "but I'm going to need a minute."_

 _As it turned out, to both of their surprise, a minute was quite a literal term. Things were definitely sped along when Rose had allowed her hands to wander over his chiseled body, lighting all of the fires he was sure they'd burned out. Before long she was straddling him, kissing him fervently, and bringing his erection back to life._

 _He moved slowly this time, making sure he enjoyed every inch of her toned body. He traced the lines of her muscles with his fingers, explored every mark on her body with fastidious admiration; scars, freckles, stretch marks and tan lines – every experience that had ever been etched into her skin._

 _He kissed her slowly, so he would remember the taste of her tomorrow. He ran his fingers through her hair like he'd always dreamt of doing. He allowed himself every indulgence, thinking that if this was already going to hurt tomorrow, he might as well make the best of it. He might as well have a second of love for every day he would have to pretend there was nothing between them._

 _When he kissed her, Rose could feel an echo of her own longing on his lips. There was something more reserved about the second time they made love, despite mischievous promises whispered into the darkness. It was almost bittersweet, although she tried to focus on the sweetness._

 _They murmured each other's names in voices filled with earnest promises, unspoken but settling heavily between them. When his tongue and fingers brought her to her third orgasm of the night, it carried more weight that the other two. He kissed his way back up her body gently, and she swore she heard a whisper of something he shouldn't have said._

 _She whispered it back into the pillow so he wouldn't hear._

 _They enjoyed each other until exhaustion overtook them, and then they fell asleep connected only by their fingers interlocked in the cold space between them. Tomorrow, this would hurt._

* * *

"Was it a mistake?" she whispered again. She knew she shouldn't have asked. She knew the answer and she didn't want to hear him say it.

Dimitri's hand fell from her wrist, his beautiful brown eyes filled with regret. He wished he could say it wasn't – they would figure it out and they would be okay. He wanted to tell her that. He wanted to hold her, and kiss her, and enjoy every second he spent with her because he loved her.

 _Was it a mistake?_

The answer was killing him, but he looked her in the eye and said it anyway.

"Yes."


End file.
